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Tepesch leaves game after taking liner off arm

4/20/13: Jesus Montero's liner deflects off Nick Tepesch's arm and into right field for a single, forcing him to leave the game

By T.R. Sullivan
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MLB.com |

ARLINGTON -- Rangers starter Nick Tepesch had to leave Saturday's game in the second inning after getting hit on the right arm with a line drive off the bat of Mariners catcher Jesus Montero.

Tepesch was examined by Dr. Keith Meister in the clubhouse immediately afterward and the initial diagnosis was a contusion on the right wrist. X-rays were negative, but Tepesch will undergo further examination on Sunday as the Rangers see how much day-after pain and swelling there is in the arm.

Tepesch is scheduled to start on Thursday against the Twins.

"It feels all right," Tepesch said. "It's a little sore. It could have been a lot worse."

Tepesch had retired the first two hitters of the second inning and five of the first six batters he faced before Montero smacked a line drive up the middle. The ball hit off Tepesch's pitching arm just above the wrist and ricocheted into right-center field for a hit.

The ball left a bloody gash on Tepesch's arm. Trainer Jamie Reed, manager Ron Washington and trainer Jamie Reed were headed toward the mound even before Montero was finished rounding first base.

Tepesch tried to stay in the game and threw several pitches as a test. But the Rangers decided instead to bring in reliever Derek Lowe. Tepesch ended up throwing 21 pitches.

"He's feeling pretty good," Washington said. "I don't think it's going to affect his next start, but we weren't going to take any chances. I thought something was broken, but he's a tough kid. He really wanted to finish the inning, but we weren't going to let that happen when we didn't know what was going on."